Small for Gestational Age

What is gestational age?

Gestational age refers to how many weeks the fetus has been growing
inside the mother's womb. It is based on the date of the mother's last
menstrual period. An ultrasound during the first 3 months of pregnancy
measuring the head, abdomen, and thigh bone also helps to determine
gestational age.

Most babies are born after 38 to 42 weeks of gestation. Right after
birth, your doctor checked your child's weight and length, and
compared it with the weight and length expected for his or her
gestational age. Most babies have a birth length and weight very close
to what is expected, but some are larger or heavier than expected, and
some are smaller or lighter.

Your doctor may also have looked at other things, such as your
baby's head size, the condition of skin and hair, reflexes, muscle
tone, posture, and other signs to determine your baby's developmental
gestational age. This second number describes the age that your baby
actually looks and acts. For example, although your baby may have been
born after 39 weeks, he or she may look and act more like a baby born
after only 35 weeks.

Why does SGA happen?

Most of the time it is not known why a child is born SGA. It just
happens. When a cause can be determined, the 3 most common reasons are
issues with the fetus, including a multiple birth (twins, triplets,
etc) or genetic defect; problems with the placenta that do not let the
fetus get enough blood; or mother's health issues such as heart
disease or malnutrition, or drug, alcohol, or cigarette abuse.

Children born SGA may have a normal amount of growth hormone, or
they may have less growth hormone than the average child.

This content is for informational purposes
only, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical
advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your
physician or other qualified healthcare professional with any
questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. is an affiliate of Novo Nordisk A/S, a
global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and
leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and
capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious
chronic conditions: hemophilia, growth disorders and obesity.

Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 41,400
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